Electrically heated steam iron



Feb. 20, 1940. E, J, wlGGlNs 2,190,903

ELECTRICALLY HEATED STEAM IRON Filed Dec. 18, 1959 faz/'enferJMarQ/yzfzs Patented Feb. 20, 1940 UNITED STATES ELECTRICALLY HEATEDSTEAM IRON Edward J. Wiggins, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Jack Galter,Chicago, Ill.

` Application December 18, 1939, Serial No. 309,751

4 Claims.

This invention relates to an electrically heated steam iron for use inironing clothes, pressing washed goods and for other similar purposes.

Among the objects of this invention is to provide a construction thatwill stop water in the iron from entering the steam chamber adjacent thesteam receiving pipe so as to prevent water from passing out thedischarge openings. An-

' otherobject is to create an electrically heated steam iron having asteam expansion chamber adjacent the discharge openings,A and to providein combination therewith enlarged openings for the passage of anincreased supply of wet steam. My invention also contemplates such otherobjects, dvantages and capabilities as will later more ully appear andwhich are inherently possessed by my invention.

While I have shown in the accompanying drawing a preferred form of myinvention, yet I wish it understood that the same is susceptible ofmodification and 4change without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of my ironwith portions broken away to show the interior; Fig. 2 is a top planview with the handle plate removed; Fig. 3 is a rear elevational viewwith a portion broken away as shown on line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is abottom plan view of the shoe plate; Fig. 5 is a, plan view of the innersurface of the shoe plate; Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail sectional viewof the expansion chamber as shown on line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

The embodiment selected to illustrate my invention comprises a shoeplate I0 having a smooth outer bottom ironing or pressing surface II anda body member I2 attached to said shoe plate III by suitable means suchas screws I3. The bottom of the body member I2 has a slight depressionI4 to which is attached an electrical element I5. 40 A correspondingdepression I6 is also provided in the inner and upper portion of theshoe plate I0 to accommodate the electrical element I5 when ticle bodymember I 2 is attached to the shoe plate The body member I2 is hollow soas to provide a water chamber I1. At the upper front portion of theinterior of the body member I2 is a steam chamber I8 extending fromabout the middle upper portion of the body member I2 forwardly under thedome portion I9. 'I'he rear wall 20 of the steam chamber I8 has anopening 2| to receive steam rising from the water chamber I1.

The floor of the steam chamber I8 has an aperture 36.

55 The outer top 22 of the body member I2 has a recess 23 with anindented flange 24 to receive the handle plate 25. Screws 26 attach thehandle plate 25 to the flange 24. A handle 21 is attached to the handleplate 25.

In steam chamber I8 immediately forward of I opening 36 is asubstantially semicircular baille member 54 extending across the widthof the steam chamber, with its inner curved surface facing the rear wall20. `'I'he lower end of the baille member 54 contacts the floor 35 ofsteam cham- 10 ber I8 but the upper end of the baille member does notcontact the bottom ofthe handle plate 25, thereby leaving a steampassageway therebetween. The upper end oi the baille member 54 isdirectly above opening 36 in the floor 35. 'Ihe 15 baille member 54 thusforms an anteroom 56 in the steam chamber I8.

In use when water, because of boiling, sloshing or otherwise, enters theanteroom 56, it strikes the inner surface of the baille member 54 and is20 thrown by a somersault movement caused by the curve of 'the baillemember out of the anteroom through opening 2l in the rear wall 20 backinto the water chamber I1. Water that does not reach opening 2I in therear wall will drop out through 25 opening 36 in the floor 35.

The baille member 54 does not interfere with the passage of thesuperheated steam because the steam passes through pasageway 55 into theforward part of the steam chamber I8. /30

It will be notedl that steam chamber I8 continues under dome portion I9,where it passes up into the top opening of a steam receiving pipe 31which passes diagonally downwardly through an opening 38 in the frontbottom portion of the 35 body member I2 The steam conduit 31 dischargesthe steam into an expansion chamber 51 formed by a recess 58 in the shoevplate II). A modification of my expansion chamber is to provide for acommunicat- 0 ing cut-out portion 59 in the lower bottom surface of thetoe of the body member I2, the 'cutout portion 59 forming one expansionchamberv within the recess 58. The expansion chamber 51 has a guideportion 60 leading the steam to 45 a depression 6I in the shoe plate I0in which are located, a plurality of spaced extra large steam dischargeopenings 62.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An electrically heated steam iron comprising 50 a shoe plate havingan outer ironing surface and steam discharge openings, a hollow bodymember attached to said shoe plate, an electrical element having meansforl connection with an electrical source of supply, said electricalelement positioned 56 between said shoe plate and said body member, saidbody member having a water chamber and means for the reception of waterforvsaid water chamber, a steam chamber formed within said hollow bodymember above the water chamber, said steam chamber having an opening toreceive steam formed in the water chamber, said steam chamber having aiioor and a top. a. forewardly curved substantially semi-circular baillemember extending across said steam chamber andadapted by its curvedsurface to somersault water entering through the opening in the steamchamber back through the opening in the steam chamber to the waterchamber, said baille member extending upwardly from the iioor of thesteam chamber and ending short of contact with the top of the steamchamber so as to leave a space there between for the passage of steam tothe upper portion of the steam chamber, a steam conduit with its upperend in the steam chamber and its -lower end communicating with saidsteam discharge openings in the shoe plate, and a handie attached tosaid body member.

2. In an electrically heated steam iron, a body member having a hollowinterior providing space for a water chamber, a steam chamber positionedin said hollow interior of the body member above the water chamber, saidsteam chamber having an opening to receive steam formed in the waterchamber, said steam chamber having a oor and a. top, a forewardly curvedsubstantially semicircular baiiie member extending across said steamchamber and adapted by its curved surface to somersault water enteringthrough the opening in the steam chamber back through the opening in thesteam chamber to the water chamber, said baiile member extendingupwardly from the iioor of the steam chamber and ending short oi'contact with the top of the steam chamber soI as to 'leave a spacetherebetween for the passage of steam to the upper portion of the steamchamber.

3. An electrically heated steam iron comprising a bottom member havingan outer ironing surface l and a plurality of-steam discharge openings,a

body member having a water chamber, said body member attached to saidbottom member, means for electrically` heating said iron and formingsteam out of the water in the water chamber, a steam chamber havingwalls and a iioor, said steam chamber formed within said body memberabove said water chamber, said steam chamber havingan opening in one ofits walls to receive steam formed in the water chamber, a forewardlycurved substantially semi-circular baille member extending across thewidth of the steam chamber and adapted to stop water entering throughthe opening in the steam chamber from passing farther into the steamchamber and by its curved surface to return the water throughv theopening in the steam chamber back into the water chamber, said baillemember extending upwardly from the oor of the steam chamber and endingshort of contact with the top of the steam chamber so as to leave apassageway therebetween for the passing or steam farther into the steamchamber, and a steam conduit with its upper end in the forward portionof the steam chamber, and its lower end communicatingwith the steam,discharge openings in the ironing surface of the bottom member.

4. An electrically heated steam iron comprising a bottom member havingan outer ironing surface and a plurality of steam discharge openings, abodymember having a water chamber, said body member attached to saidbottom member, means for electrically heating said iron and formingsteam out of the water in the water chamber, a steam chamber having arear wall, a iioor and a top, said steam chamber formed within said bodymember above said Water chamber, said steam chamber havingan opening inits rear wall and an opening in its floor, a forewardly curvedsubstantially semi-'circular baffle member extending across the width ofthe steam `chamber and forming an anteroom, the lower end of the baillemember contacting the iioor of the steam chamber immediately forward ofthe opening in said iioor, the upper end of the baiiie member extendingabove and over said opening in the oor of the steam chamber, said baillemember adapted to stop water entering the anteroom from passing into thefront portion of the steam chamber and by its curved surface to returnthe water through the openings in the rear wall and floor ofthe anteroomof the steam chamber back into the lwater chamber, said bailie memberending short of contact with the top of the steam chamber so as to leavea'space therebetween for the passage of steam into the front portion ofthe `steam chamber, and a steam conduit with its upper end in the frontportion of the steam chamber, and its lower end communicating with thesteam discharge openings in the ironing surface of the bottom member.

EDWARD J. WIGGINS.

